Three plead guilty to leaking US submarine secrets to China

AFP, June, 2007

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Three suspects pleaded guilty to trying to send China sensitive defense information on submarine technology, US federal prosecutors said Monday.

The three are relatives of a US engineer of Chinese origin, Chi Mak, 66, who worked for a US Navy contractor that develops the technology to silence submarines.

The charges go back to 2005, when police arrested two of the family at Los Angeles airport as they were ready to embark on a plane for Hong Kong carrying a CD with the data in their baggage.

Chi Mak's brother, Tai Mak, and Fuk Li, Tai Mak's wife, pleaded guilty on Monday, while Billy Mak, their son, pleaded guilty on Friday.

Tai and Fuk are scheduled to be sentenced Friday and Billy Mak will be sentenced on September 24, a statement from the US Department of Justice said.

Chi Mak's wife is also ...